1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a body or ball for, in general, the cultivation of plants, in particular for initiating plant growth, the body or ball being adapted to receive at least one plant element such as a seedling, cutting, seed, or likewise for rooting or root development purposes comprising a channel system constructed therein.
Initiating the growth of plants by means of such bodies or balls is a facet of horticulture and is generally carried out by large and highly qualified special enterprizes. In the latter using large-scale or industrial methods plant cuttings, seedlings or seeds are stuck into or applied to growth bodies, which are kept in a wet or moist environment. The growth bodies are particularly intended for the initial rooting of the seedlings, cuttings, seeds, etc. When the latter have acquired an adequate degree of root system, they are forwarded with the rooted bodies or balls to production enterprizes, where the bodies with the rooted young plants are set for further cultivation either in sales containers such as pots or in the open.
2. Prior Art
In known bodies of the aforementioned type used for plant culture (DE-OS No. 28 52 286, DE-OS No. 28 27 524) special mechanical working of the substrate material by punching, milling, drilling, sticking or cutting is required for forming the channel or drainage system. The production of such one-piece, relatively massive bodies is expensive as regards materials and labour and therefore cost-intensive. Mechanical working leads to relatively thick channel walls, which leave a relatively large volume of the substrate material. As a result of their structure and when using conventional substrate materials, particularly totally synthetic foam, the known bodies are completely saturated with water, so that hydroroots are formed which are unsuitable for initial growth and which tend to rot.
Other known initial plant-growth bodies which do not have channels are made from flexible foam, a foam-flock composite with punched slits for receiving the cuttings or seeds (German Utility Model No. 69 365 486), or a substrate mixture comprising peat, humus and foam flocks (DE-OS No. 23 07 732). The porous or cellular structure of such initial growth bodies leads, during rooting, to an inadequate air exchange from the outside to the inside, i.e. between the individual cells. However, in the known bodies a fine-porous structure is required in order to permit a capillary spread of the water. With air exclusion with respect to the roots, the pores or the structure become filled with water. Inadequate ventilation of roots leads to rotting thereof and to impediment of growth. Initial growth bodies made from foams cannot be composted.